Matthew 6:9a

Jesus instructs the disciples to not pray like the Gentiles who are repeating empty words, but to pray as He is about to teach them in the Lord’s Prayer.  We pray this every Sunday for a reason.  The words that Jesus tells us are thorough and thoughtful, and we should pay attention and mean the words that we are praying. 

Do you just go through the motions when you pray the Lord’s Prayer, or do you truly mean what you say when you pray this prayer?

Matthew 6:8

Jesus reminds us that we have a God who knows exactly what we need before we even ask Him. Does this mean that prayer is pointless? By all means, no! This reminds us that God cares for us and provides for what we need, not necessarily what we want.  Prayer gives us assurance and hope in a God who loves us and cares for us. We can find peace in knowing that God looks out for His children, and we can be comforted that He is working all things together for our good. 

Do you find comfort in prayer?  Do you understand that God cares for you and He will sustain you because He knows your every need?

Matthew 6:7

The Gentiles prayed the same thing over in over in a mechanical fashion, hoping that this prayer would be answered.  However, their hearts were not in it, just like the Pharisees. Our prayers need to be pointed and genuine, not just saying certain things because they sound good. 

You may set out a time to pray, and you may do it a lot, but are your prayers genuine? Do they truly come from your heart, or is it a prayer that just checks off a box or something you think sounds good?  Be thoughtful in your prayers. Search your heart to find the nitty gritty things that you should be praying for, not just a flowery, feel good prayer.

Matthew 6:6b

Unlike the reward of public praise that the Pharisees sought, we gain so much more when we come to God when we are alone. We gain peace, no matter what is going on in our lives, for we have a Heavenly Father who hears our prayers. We find contentment in knowing that we can confess our worst sins, and He still loves us and cares about us. If you think about a time you poured out your heart to someone, did you not feel better after doing it?  It is the same when we pray to God.  We can get it all off our chest with Him, and we know that He listens and sustains us through everything. Prayer is a joy in itself, and we often forsake it. 

What is going on in your life right now that is troublesome?  Think about prayer, and how praying can give you peace.

Matthew 6:6a

In contrast, Jesus says we should go into a secluded room and pray to God by ourselves. He is not shunning public prayer, but He is telling us that when we are alone we can focus more exclusively on God. We can let our hair down (so to speak), and come before the Lord with all our problems. We can confess our sins, seek repentance, and say things we would never want to say in public. It is in this one-on-one time that we can come before the throne of God and be honest with Him. We can tell Him our needs and our struggles, and we can pour out our hearts in a way that we may not be able to do in public. 

Do you set aside time each day to be alone with God?  Even if you are busy, when can you make time?

Matthew 6:5b

Jesus explains that these hypocrites pray for show. They get up in front of crowds and pray so eloquently in order that others would see them and praise them for it. They were going it about it in a wrong and sinful way. They received the reward they wanted, the praise of others, but they ignored the enjoyment of conversing with God. You can have prayers that would wow any crowd, but if your heart is not in it, you gain nothing lasting from it. 

What is your motivation for prayer, and how can putting your heart in your prayers help you grow in Christ?

Matthew 6:5a

Is there a wrong way to pray? Jesus tells us that there is, and those that pray like that are hypocrites. He is pointing right at the Pharisees, who are wearing hypocritical masks. They were supposed to lead God’s people not just by their actions but with their hearts, however, they had long forgotten the reason for the Law. They had become legalists, forgetting to love the people. In the same manner, they prayed because that was what the prominent leader was supposed to do, but they didn't thoughtfully come before God with their prayers and their prayers were without heart. 

Do you pray because you have to even though your heart is not in it, or do you truly seek to commune with the Heavenly Father?